Chris Moorman, Sports Editor
Redshirt junior forward Josh Benson is out for the rest of the season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in the University of Dayton’s 62-50 win over the University of Mississippi Friday, Dec. 30, at UD Arena.
With 9:32 to go in the first half, Benson drove to the basket and attempted an off-balanced, running floater in the lane. As the shot bounced off the side of the rim, Benson fell to the court and appeared to bang his knee on the floor. Mississisppi forward Steadman Short leapt into the air to grab the rebound, but fell on top of Benson and was called for traveling.
Benson stayed on the ground clutching his left knee for a couple minutes before trainers and teammates helped him off the court and up the tunnel to the Dayton locker room. Benson was able to put weight on his left leg as he left the floor.
He came back with four minutes to go before halftime. But, Benson’s knee was not ready.
After getting an offensive rebound with 1:48 remaining, Benson turned the ball over and wrenched his left knee. He limped to the bench and spent much of the second half in the locker room only to return to the bench area on crutches late in Dayton’s win.
“It’s tough,” senior forward Luke Fabrizius said after the game. “We love JB. We’re hoping for the best. He gives us, besides his scoring and rebounding, just his energy and effort. You can tell when he comes on the floor he brings energy to the building. There was a big sigh when he went down. We’re praying for him.”
After the game, first-year head coach Archie Miller said he was confident Benson would be fine and ready for Dayton’s first Atlantic 10 Conference game against Saint Louis University at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 4, at UD Arena. He also said Benson would be examined with an MRI on Saturday, Dec. 31.
Around 5:30 p.m., the UD athletics department announced Benson’s season-ending injury.
“Everyone in our program feels for Josh right now,” Miller said in the press release. “He was really playing at both ends of the floor with a confidence that comes from being dedicated to getting better every day. But he will still have a big role for our team as he comes back from this. We will need his leadership and enthusiasm with us as we head into conference.”
Benson was the team’s second-leading scorer and rebounder with 10.9 points per game and 5.2 rebounds a game. He also led Dayton is field goal percentage at 61 percent, good for fourth in the A-10.
The Dayton native had seven points and four rebounds in 11 minutes of play against Ole Miss and had scored in double digits in five of UD’s last six games before Friday night.
Miller said in the press release he knows Benson will get healthy and be ready for next season.
“He knows he has the support of his family, his coaches and his teammates and I expect him to have a big year next season,” Miller said.